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UTAH FACTS & LINKS
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Government
Links page for Utah
Great links page for all levels of
government in Utah
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1850 - 11,380
1860 -
40,273
1870 - 86,336
1880 - 143,963
1890 - 210,779
1900 -
276,749
1910 - 373,351
1920 - 449,396
1930 - 507,847
1940
- 550,310
1950 - 688,862
1960 - 890,627
1970 -
1,059,273
1980 - 1,461,037
1990 - 1,722,850
1996 –
2,023,856
2000 - 2,233,169
2002 - 2,316,256
2005 - 2,469,585
2010 - 2,763,885
Population density
2000
- 27.2 persons per square mile
Median age
1995 –
27.1
2000 – 27.1
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Latitude - 37°N to
42°N
Longitude - 109°W to 114°W
Time Zone: Utah is in the Mountain Time Zone
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The climate in the state
is mostly semiarid to arid. Along the Wasatch Front, where most
of the population lives, winters are generally mild.
Average
winter temperature in Salt Lake City is 52 degrees.
Average annual
precipitation ranges from just 5 inches in the western desert area to
over 40 inches in the mountains.
Average annual snowfall is
about 59 inches. On the higher mountains snow may remain throughout
most of the summer.
Find the weather
for anyplace in the USA
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Per capita Income:
1999-
$18,185
Median Household Income:
2003 - $46,709
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Utah was first known as Deseret. It wasn't named Utah until it became a state in 1896.
Before settled by the Mormons, the Utah area was inhabited by the Anasazi and Fremont tribes. They were part of the Ute-Aztec ethnicity. The Anasazi lived in the mountains and carved their homes from them. The remains of their villages and homes may be seen in many areas of Utah. The Fremont built homes of straw but the tribe disappeared around the 1600's. Other tribes, including the Navajo, Ute, Paiute and Shoshone, also settled in the area from time to time.
Brigham Young brought the first pioneers to the area of Salt Lake City, arriving on 24 July 1847. That day is now celebrated yearly as Pioneer Day and is a state holiday. For over 20 years, pioneers flocked to Salt Lake City and continued to settle the valley as well as other areas further south and north of the Salt Lake Valley. The people struggled for a time but eventually prospered. They felt freedom from persecution here and could practice their religion as they desired without fear of interference. Salt Lake City eventually became a hub where settlements branched out in all directions as directed by Brigham Young. They were sent out as far as San Bernardino, California, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming and even northern Mexico. Some of the settlements made it and some did not, but overall, it was a grand experiment that succeeded well.
The name of Deseret meant Honeybee which is seen by the use of the beehive on many state articles, including the state nickname of the Beehive State and the state motto, Industry. The Utah Territory was created in 1850 through the Compromise of 1850 and the capital was named as Fillmore. The name of Utah was for the Ute Tribe there. Salt Lake City was named the territorial capital in 1856 and became the state capital when Utah was made a state.
The Utah War took place in 1857 when President Buchanan was convinced the Mormons were a rebellious group and practiced polygamy as well as other perceived uncommon things. A military expedition was sent to Utah to "quell" the rebellion with Alfred Cumming replacing Brigham Young as the territorial governor. Residents of Utah were understandably nervous about the coming army which led to several incidents, including the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Brigham Young ordered all the residents of Salt Lake City to evacuate south and precautions were taken to avoid problems. Eventually the army arrived and Cumming took over for Young. It is claimed that even though a number of governors were appointed over time, that Young still remained in "power" in the territory. Camp Floyd was established at this time by Johnston's army.
The First Transcontinental telegraph was completed as the last link in Salt Lake City in October 1861. Brigham Young was among the first to send a message. In 1861, federal troops were called away, mostly because of the Civil War. The Utah Black Hawk War began in 1865 and continued for many years as the deadliest war in the state history. The frist Transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Summit on 10 May 1869, just north of the Great Salt Lake. The completion of the railroad brought many new people into the area and gave new settlers a much easier trip west. In 1890 the Manifesto from the LDS Church banned polygamy. The government mandated a ban in order for Utah to become a state. The ban was included in the state constitution and in the surrounding state constitutions as well. Finally on 4 January 1896, Utah was declared a state.
Utah began to be known for it's great beauty and was used as a popular filming site for movies. Once the interstate highway system was developed in the mid-1900's, these relatively inaccessible areas were much easier to reach. The dry powdery snow of the state led to the nickname of "The Greatest Snow on Earth" being applied to Utah. This was emphasized even more when the city won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
Good historical info for Utah.
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The Bear River, Wasatch and Uinta ranges are part of the Rocky Mountains and have peaks rising over 10,000 feet above sea level. These mountain & canyon areas take up most of the eastern and southern portions of the state and are part of the Colorado Plateau. The western third of the state is known as the Great Basin area and is quite arid with few towns and population. The Great Salt Lake and the Great Salt Lake Desert, including the famous Bonneville Salt Flats, are in this geographic area.
Most of Utah’s population is along the Wasatch Front area. This area also has the most rainfall and snowfall.
Larger bodies of water in the state include the Great Salt lake, covering 2,250 square miles, Utah Lake, Bear Lake (partially in Idaho), and Lake Powell in the south. Major rivers include the Green River, the Sevier River and the Bear River.
Highest Point: 13,528
feet above sea level - Kings Peak in the Uintas
Lowest Point:
2,000 feet above sea level - Beaver Dam Wash in Washington County
Mean Elevation: 6,100 feet above sea level
Total area: 84,899
square miles
Total land area - 82,144 square miles
Width - 270 miles
Length
- 350 miles
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Births & deaths -
1905-present
Contact Utah Office of Vital Records
288 North
1460 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-2855
Phone: (801) 538-6105
recording
Phone: (801) 538-6380
Utah
State US GenWeb Project Genealogy page
Access
Genealogy page for Utah
Kindred
Trails page for Utah
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Utah
State Library System
Public
Pioneer – Utah’s Online Library
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Utah State Office of Education
Links to school districts in the state
Utah System of Higher
Education (USHE)
consisting
of:
University
of Utah - Salt Lake City
Utah
State University - Logan
Southern
Utah University -
Cedar City
Utah Valley University
- Orem
Weber State University
- Ogden
Snow College -
Ephraim
Dixie State University
- St. George
College of Eastern Utah
- Price
Salt Lake Community College
- Salt Lake City
Utah College of
Applied Technology - Salt Lake City
Private Schools
Brigham
Young University - Provo
LDS
Business College - Salt Lake City
Western
Governors University - Online
Westminster
College - Salt Lake City
Other Accredited Higher
Education Institutions
Provo
College - Provo
Columbia
College Salt Lake - Salt Lake City
Webster
University - Hill AFB
Eagle
Gate College - Salt Lake City
Everest
College - Salt Lake City
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Tourism is one of the major sectors of the state's economy with the year-round outdoor and recreational activities available. Other major industries include mining, cattle ranching, salt production and government services.
Unimployment remains lower than most of the country overall.
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Association of Utah
Historians
1845
South 1800 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
The
Better Business Bureau of Utah
Serving
all of Utah
5673 South Redwood Road #22
Salt Lake City, UT
84123
Phone: (801) 892-6009
Fax: (801) 892-6002
Email:
info@utah.bbb.org
Office
Hours: 9:00am-4:00pm Monday through Friday
Utah State Chamber of Commerce
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Attractions & Other Information
The Great Salt Lake - The lake is 92 miles by 42 miles in size. It is the second saltiest lake in the world, the first being the Dead Sea. This is the last remnant of the giant Lake Bonneville which covered parts of Idaho and Utah and Nevada.
Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources
The best source of information
on Utah wildlife is the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
All
about wildlife, hunting and fishing in the state of Utah
Utah
Road Conditions
Callers within Utah can now reach the Travel
Information Line by dialing 511.
For callers outside the State,
the number is (866) 511-UTAH/(866) 511-8824
Information can also
be found online at: http://commuterlink.utah.gov/
The
Utah Travel Council
Council
Hall
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
Phone: 801-538-1030
Toll-free:
800-200-1160
Ski
Utah - Learn all about the "Greatest Snow on Earth"
Raft Utah
Ghost
Towns in Utah
Photos and information about ghost towns
located throughout the state. Some are also archeological sites also.
Ripleys Ghost Towns and Other Adventures - Ghost towns in California, Nevada, Utah
Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City
Lake
Powell and the Glen Canyon
National Recreation Area
This site tells all about the lake
and the area, including marinas, lodging, tours, reservations and
more.
Everything
Utah
Search for anything and everything about Utah at this
site.
Flaming
Gorge National Recreation Area
Timpanogas
Caves National Monument
Zions
National Park
Bryce Canyon
National Park
Arches
National Park
Canyonlands
National Park
Capital Reef
National Park
National Parks in Utah - links page
This page was created 5 October 1998
This page was last updated 11 January 2011 at 11:33 am
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